PROGRESS IN THE FIELD OF INTEGRATED OPTOELECTRONICS BASED ON POROUS SILICON

Aluminum-porous silicon (Al-PS) Schottky junctions have demonstrated t o be promising candidates for stable, wide band emission, silicon base d light sources. Aluminum top contacts are defined by transforming the Al layer between different pads into anodic alumina (Al2O3). The ligh t emitted by the devices arises from the border of the metallic contac t through the transparent and insulating alumina. With the aim of obta ining a higher external efficiency, different shapes for the aluminum top contact have been designed and characterised. The layout of the ma sks used in photolithography has been designed having in mind two poss ible applications for the light source: (1) as a silicon technology-co mpatible light source to be used for optical interconnections within V LSI-IC, and (2) as a pixel for 1D and 2D electroluminescent panels. An increase of external quantum efficiency due to increase of perimeter/ area ratio has been demonstrated. Furthermore, the detection of the li ght emitted from the junction by means of a porous silicon photodetect or integrated on the same chip is presented. Fabricated devices are ch aracterised by means of electrical and optoelectronic techniques. (C) Elsevier Science S.A.